US5241374A

US5241374A - Method and apparatus for automatically adjusting dynamic color temperature state of color tv equipment

Info

Publication number: US5241374A
Application number: US07/755,638
Authority: US
Inventors: Yanhua Yang; Ruihong Li
Original assignee: Yunnan TV Factory
Current assignee: Yunnan TV Factory
Priority date: 1990-09-09
Filing date: 1991-09-06
Publication date: 1993-08-31
Anticipated expiration: 2011-09-06
Also published as: CN1021186C; EP0475320A3; CN1059815A; JPH04227190A; EP0475320A2

Abstract

Present color TV equipment utilizes single fixation whitebalance color temperature reference programs. Such equipment can not give consideration to various disadvantages in image reproducing results. The method and the apparatus disclosed can correct color TV equipment with a dynamic color temperature state using an applicable range along a Planckian locus color temperature band as a white-balance color temperature parameter region, and can make the corresponding relation between hue - color temperature parameters meet requirements of an optimum image reproducing result. Therefore, the reproducing results and the quality of a general appearance of a color TV picture are improved. It is also possible to produce or improve color TV equipment with low cost.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the processing of color TV chrominance, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for automatically adjusting dynamic color temperature state of color TV equipment such as pick-up equipment, transmitting equipment, receiving equipment, and playing equipment.

The color-temperature process of existing color TV equipment uses a single fixation method, that is, the single fixation white color temperature reference standard is used for setting up the white balance of a color TV pick-up equipment or receiving equipment. The equipment work state at the same time is used to relatively determine the functional relation between the chrominance signal input and output in a chrominance channel circuit. The functional relation will remain unchanged when the equipment processes any white or non-white image signal. Up to now, many TV technology groups in different countries in the world are still not in agreement on the point about the sampling locus of the above single fixation color temperature reference standard. The standard white light recommended presently by CIE, i.e. the Committee of International Emittance, is D65 white light with a relative color temperature of 6504 K. This standard is used in the present color TV system of PAL and SECAM. Another standard of C white light with a relative color temperature of 6770 K is used in the NTSC system. A standard of D93 with a relative color temperature of 9300 K is used in some countries. In China, the standard white light for color TV Broadcasts is D65, but there is a stipulation that "the white color temperature to be set up in production of color TV receivers may be stipulated by the professional standard according to subjective evaluation." In practice and similar to foreign enterprises, the standard is set at D65 in some enterprises or D93 in other enterprises (hereinafter abbreviated as D65 set or D93 set). Because the D65 and D93 standards have their own advantages, there is thus the phenomenon that the standard can not be unified. In television pickup and receiving systems, a color temperature is now usually chosen to be a regular white color temperature standard, and usually D65 or D93 (5400 K for pickup equipment) is chosen. According to the condition shown by receiving equipment, none of the D65, D93 or 5400 K can give consideration to the reproducing effects of various images. They have their own qualitative range and separate inferior faulty range. When reproducing white color, D93 equipment appears quite white and very clean. When reproducing a natural landscape in which there are mainly the contents of blue and green colors, there appears to be good scenery and depth of field, plentiful stratification, a distinct picture, bright colors, and more lifelike. But when reproducing the color of skin, the skin appears dark green sometimes. When reproducing a person's features, it appears more stiff. When reproducing red color, it appears overly purple sometimes. When reproducing the color of skin, the D65 equipment appears ruddy and soft. When reproducing red color, it appears bright and lifelike. But when reproducing white color, it appears over-red. When reproducing a natural landscape in which there are mainly the contents of blue and green color, it appears withered and yellow and looks like the scenery is covered with a layer of brown dust, sometimes. The "sometimes" mentioned above refers mainly to when there are not many differences between the ratios which every primitive color holds. The above conclusion can be supported by the results obtained in the first Chinese meeting comparing and assessing the quality of color TV receivers in 1987. During the comparing and assessing, its published evaluation report points out:

"It is satisfactory that D65 white color-temperature reproduces the color of skin. If the white color temperature has some deviation, an obvious difference in the colors of skin will occur so that the adjusting of white color temperature has an important bearing on receiving a color picture."

"Given the same brightness, 9300 K white color temperature has a more bright sense than 6500 K white color temperature, so that when receiving landscape, sample equipment of 9300 K color-temperature had higher marks than those of 6500 K color-temperature because they appeared to provide good scenery and depth of field, distinct picture and bright color."

The technical summary of the evaluation points out again:

"When reproducing memory colors, such as the color of skin and background, D65 white color temperature is beyond comparison with the other color temperature, but when reproducing the picture in which there are mainly the contents of blue and green color, it appears to have a less bright-colored level than higher color-temperature . . . (relative to D65) if the color temperature is much higher, the result reproducing the color of skin will be worse."

The main reasons for the above statements are as follows:

1. For the same image signal, the ratios of three primary colors of the reproduced image from different systems which have different reference standards of color temperature are different. The D65 receiver offers a 41.4% red component more than the D93 receiver. But the D65 receiver offers a 14.4% blue component less than the D93 receiver.

Assume an affine transformation to transfer the CIE chrominance figure from the XYZ system to the three base color system which is formally used in the technical standards in China. Suppose that the coordinates in the XYZ system for any color value (F) are (X_F, Y_F, Z_F, and the coordinates in the RGB system for the same color value (F) are (r_F, g_F, b_F, then the following formula of coordinate transformation results: ##EQU1##

Bringing the coordinates (0.313, 0.329, 0.358), (0.281, 0.311, 0.408) in the XYZ system for D65 and D93 into the above formula, the following relative coordinates in the RGB system result: ##EQU2##

Therefore, the reference white of D65 or D93 may be founded in the following mixed form:

(D65)=0.222(R)+0.387(G)+0.391(B)

(D93)=0.157(R)+0.386(G)+0.457(B).

From the above two formulas, we can see that, when two TV receivers display the same pictures, i.e. when their matrix circuits get the same drive voltage, their output voltages are different so that the ratio of the base color in the color appearing on the viewing screen is also different. Thus, the red component in the D65 receiver is 41.4% more than that in the D93 receiver {(0.222-0.157)/0.157}, the blue component in the D65 receiver is 14.4% less than that in the D93 receiver {(0.457-0.391))/0.457 }, and the green component in both of the D65 and D93 receivers may be considered as the same, because there is only a 0.2% difference.

2. The influence of the illumination source to the chrominance of the object is extensive, but the color temperature from different light sources disperses from 2000 K to 28000 K. The scenery objects appearing in many conditions are actually exposed under the light of the sky. And the color temperature from the sky light is usually higher than 6500 K, for example, the color temperature for the blue sky is from 10,000 K to 12,000 K, and for a blue sky with thin clouds, from 14,000 K to 22,000 K. Therefore, the D65 can not represent the chrominance of the object under the above conditions. For the same reason, it is also impossible for D93 to represent the chrominance of the object directly irradiated from some artificial light sources or sunlight.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus by which the color-temperature parameters of white balance in the equipment may be dynamically dealt with and worked in the dynamic color-temperature state which is set according to the qualitative range of a reproduced picture, and which avoids the inferior faulty range of a reproduced picture. Therefore, one can eliminate the intrinsic disadvantage from which it is difficult, for present TV equipment designed according to the single fixation white balance scheme of color-temperature reference standards, to take into account all of the reproducing effects of the picture. Therefore, it can make the reproducing effects of the picture more lifelike, and the subjective evaluation effects more perfect for the color TV.

A system of the invention for automatically adjusting dynamic color temperature of color TV equipment according to the invention functions as follows.

The applicable range along a Planckian locus color-temperature band (i.e., 2000 K-28000 K mentioned below, especially the range of 5400 K-9300 K which error should be less than or equal to ±27 MPCD) is provided as the reference standard of dynamic color temperature of the white-balance color-temperature parameter for the dynamic color temperature condition of color TV equipment. This is a kind of work condition wherein white-balance color-temperature parameters are in the dynamic characters for the equipment in which (and as relatively determined by) the functional relation between the values of input and output of the chrominance signal remain stationary when the equipment reproduces any hue image.

According to the instantaneous hue characters of the image element points in every scanning line of the image at a 52 μs forward stroke, a relative automatic apparatus is used for automatic adjusting.

When the chrominance channel circuit is input with a warm color chrominance signal (i.e., the primary color structure is an R signal level that is greater than a G signal level and a B signal level), and given an accurate design, all or some portions of the low color temperature region in the range between 2000 K and 9300 K, especially 5400 K and 9300 K or 6504 K and 9300 K, is adopted as white, on condition that an approximate design is allowed. One or several points in the previous region are used as a dynamic color-temperature standard called a bottom color-temperature standard D1.

When a chrominance channel circuit is input with the chrominance signal of the other hue signal, and given an accurate design, the range between the previous bottom color-temperature standard D1 (in which the upper limit of D1 is adopted when D1 is in a part of the previous continuous region or several points) and 28000 K, especially 9300 K or some range portion among the ranges, is used. But if an approximate design is allowed, one or several points in the previous range are used as a dynamic color-temperature standard called a top color-temperature standard D_H.

Given an accurate design, the upper limit of the bottom color-temperature standard D_L must be fixed at the lower limit of the top color-temperature standard (the above stipulations about the relation between hue and color-temperature parameters are called correspondence principles of hue and color-temperature parameters).

In the course of adjusting a dynamic color-temperature state automatically, and when the white-balance color-temperature parameter is adjusted from an arbitrary value K₀ (corresponding normalized primary color quantities are Ro, Go, Bo and brightness Yo) to an arbitrary value K₁ which is less than K₀ (corresponding normalized primary color quantities are R₁, G₁, B₁ and brightness is Y₁), the following should be satisfied:

1) the deviation of the points (X₀, Y₀), (X₁, Y₁) on a CIE chrominance chart which correspond to the points (R₀, G₀, B₀), (R₁, G₁, B₁ in the RGB color space from the corresponding points K₀, K₁ in the Planckian locus should separately be less than or equal to ±27 MPCD; and

2) except for slunt treatment, the following inequality should be satisfied:

0≦|Y.sub.1 -Y.sub.0 =|0.3(R.sub.1 -R.sub.0)+0.59(B.sub.1 -B.sub.0)+0.11(G.sub.1 -G.sub.0)|≦0.15.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an apparatus for automatically adjusting dynamic color temperature of color TV equipment;

FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of one embodiment of an apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a second embodiment of an apparatus according to the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a third embodiment of an apparatus according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A system for automatically adjusting dynamic color temperature state of color TV equipment according to the invention is described as follows.

Referring to Figure an input interface I₀₁ of a chrominance signal sample, an output interface 0₁₃ of an ident signal R of a color-temperature region, an output interface 0₁₄ of an ident signal G of the color-temperature range, and an output interface 0₁₅ of an ident signal B of the color-temperature range are connected to a sample ident signal circuit C₁ with the corresponding relation for hue to color-temperature. The output interfaces O₁₃, O₁₄, O₁₅ are separately connected with an input interface I₁₃ of the ident signal R of the color-temperature range in a control circuit C₃ of the color-temperature state R, with an input interface I₁₄ of the ident signal G of the color-temperature range in a control circuit C₄ of the color-temperature state G, and with an input interface I₁₅ of the ident signal B of the color-temperature range in a control circuit C₅ of the color-temperature state B.

An output interface O₃₆ of an R control signal in the R control circuit C₃, an output interface O₄₇ of the G control signal in the G control circuit C₄, and an output interface O₅₈ of the B control signal in the B control circuit C₅ are separately connected with an input interface I₃₆ of the R control signal in the automatic adjusting circuit C₆ of the color-temperature state R, an input interface I₄₇ of the G control signal in the automatic adjusting circuit C₇ of the color-temperature state G, and an input interface I₅₈ of the B control signal in the automatic adjusting circuit Ca of the color-temperature state B.

An interface O₆₀ adjusting the channel of the color-temperature R, which will be connected with a channel circuit C₀ to be modulated, is connected to the R automatic adjusting circuit C₆. An interface O₇₀ of the automatic adjusting channel of the color-temperature state G, which will be connected with the channel of the color-temperature state G, and which will be connected with the channel circuit Co to be modulated, is connected to the previous G automatic adjusting circuit C₇. An interface O₈₀ adjusting the channel of the color-temperature state R is also connected with the channel circuit Co to be modulated, and is input to the B automatic adjusting circuit C₈.

An input interface I₀₂ of the chrominance or brightness signal is connected to the sample circuit C₂ of the color-temperature adjusting origin level. An output interface O₂₃ of the adjusting origin level R, an output interface O₂₄ of the adjusting origin level G, and an output interface O₂₅ of the adjusting origin level B in the sample circuit C₂ are separately connected with an input interface I₂₆ of the adjusting origin level R in the previous R automatic adjusting circuit C₆. An input interface I₂₇ of the adjusting origin level G in the G automatic adjusting circuit C₇, and an input interface I₂₈ of the adjusting origin level B in the B automatic adjusting circuit C₈ are separately connected with an input interface I₂₃ of adjusting origin level R in the previous R control circuit C₃, an input interface I₂₄ of adjusting origin level G in the previous G control circuit C₄, and an input interface I₂₅ of the adjusting origin level B in the previous B control circuit C₅.

Upon condition that circuits C₄ and C₇ as well as the input interfaces I₂₆ and I₂₈ of the adjusting origin levels R and B can be neglected, and that the adopted bottom color-temperature standard D_L and the adopted top color-temperature standard D_H are separately set in the continuous regions of 5400 K-7900 K or 6500 K-7900 K, and 7900 K-9300 K or 7900 K-10000 K in the Planckian locus band, the circuit C₁ will now be described With reference to FIG. 2. A positive pole of a voltage regulator diode D₁ is used as an R input terminal I'₀₁ of a chrominance signal input interface I₀₁. A negative pole of D₁ is used as the output interface O₁₃ of ident signal R of the color-temperature range, and is connected with an end of a resistor R₁. The other end of R₁ is connected to ground. The positive pole of a voltage regulator diode D₃ is used as a G input terminal I"₀₁ of a chrominance signal input interface I₀₁. A negative pole of D₁ is connected with a non-central terminal of a potentiometer W₂. The other non-central terminal of W₂ is connected with an end of a potentiometer R₇. A center terminal of W₂ is connected with a positive pole of a diode D₅. The other end of R₇ is connected to ground. A positive pole of a voltage regulator diode D₂ is used as a B input terminal O"'₀₁ of the chrominance signal input interface I₀₁. A negative pole of D₂ is connected with a non-central terminal of a potentiometer W₁. The other non-central terminal of W₁ is connected with a terminal of a resistor R₆. A center terminal of W₁ is connected with a positive pole of a diode D₄. The other end of R₆ is connected to ground. A terminal where a negative pole of D₄ is connected with a negative pole of D₅ is used as the output terminal O₁₅ of ident signal B of the color-temperature range.

The circuit C₂ will now be described with reference to FIG. 2. It is provided within the above circuit C₁. The circuit C₂ is comprised of voltage regulator diodes D₁, D₂, D₃, potentiometers W₁, W₂, diodes D₄, D₅, and is in a same connection path of the above circuit C₁. Positive poles of D₁, D₂, and D₃ are set as the R, G, B input terminals I'₀₂, I₀₂ " and I₀₂ "' of the chrominance or luminance signal input interface I₀₂. A negative pole of D'₁ is set as the R output interface O₂₃ of the adjusting origin level. A negative pole of D₄ is set as the B output interface O₂₅ of the adjusting origin level.

On condition that circuits C₄ and C₇ as well as the input interfaces I₂₆ and I₂₈ of the adjusting origin levels R and B can be neglected, and that the adopted bottom color-temperature reference standard D_L and the adopted top color-temperature reference standard D_H are separately set in the continuous ranges of 5400 K-7900 K or 6500 K-7900 K, and 7900 K-10000 K in the Planckian locus band, the above control circuit C₃ of the color-temperature R is comprised of the following. Bases of two NPN transistors B₁₁,BG 21 are connected to each other and are used as the input interface I₁₃ of the ident signal R of the color-temperature range and the input interface I₂₃ of adjusting origin level R. The emitter of BG₁₁ is connected with the collector of a PNP transistor BG₁₂ and is used as a terminal O'₃₆ of the output interface O₃₆ of the R control signal as well. The collector of GB₁₁ is connected with the base of BG₁₂ and the emitter of BG₁₂ is connected with the emitter of a PNP transistor BG₂₂ and is used as the second terminal O"₃₆ of the output interface O₃₆. The base of BG₂₂ is connected with the collector of GB₂₁, and the collector of BG₂₂ is connected with the emitter of GB₂₁ and is used as the third terminal O"'₃₆ of the output interface O₃₆.

On condition that circuits C₄ and C₇ as well as the input interfaces I₂₆ and I₂₈ of the adjusting origin levels R and B can be neglected, and that the adopted bottom color-temperature reference standard D_L and the adopted top color-temperature reference standard D_H are separately set in the continuous portions of the ranges 5400 K-7900 K or 6500 K-7900 K and 7900 K-9300 K or 7900 K-10000 K in the Planckian locus band, the above control circuit C₅ of the color-temperature B comprises the following. Bases of two NPN transistors BG₃₁, GB₄₁ are connected to each other and are used as an input interface I₁₅ of the ident signal B of the color-temperature range and the input interface I₂₅ of adjusting origin level B. The emitter of BG₃₁ is connected with the collector of PNP transistor BG₃₂ and is used as a terminal O'₅₈ of the output interface O₅₈ of the B control signal as well. The collector of BG₃₁ is connected with the base of BG₃₂, and the emitter of BG₃₂ is connected with +12V power source. The emitter of a PNP transistor BG₄₂ is used as the second terminal O"₅₈ of the output interface O₅₈. The base of BG₄₂ is connected with the collector of BG₄₁. The collector of BG₄₂ is connected with the emitter of BG₄₁ and is used as the third terminal O"'₅₈ of the output interface O₅₈. When the primary color driver matrix circuit is corrected, it is used as a Y input terminal.

On condition that circuits C₄ and C₇ as well as the input interfaces I₂₆ and I₂₈ of the adjusting origin levels R and B can be neglected, and that the adopted bottom color-temperature reference standard D_L and the adopted top color-temperature reference standard D_H are separately set in the continuous portions of 5400 K-7900 K or 6500 K-7900 K and 7900 K-9300 K or 7900 K-10000 K in the Planckian locus band, as shown in FIG. 2, the above automatic adjusting circuit C₆ of color-temperature state R comprises the following. A terminal of a resistor R₄ is used as a terminal I'₃₆ of the input interface I₃₆ of the R control signal. The other terminal of R₄ is connected to ground. A terminal of a resistor R₂ is used as the second terminal I"₃₆ of the input interface I₃₆. The other terminal of R₂ is used as the B automatic adjusting channel interface O₆₀ of the color-temperature state. The second terminal O₆₀ is also connected with the input interface I₀₁ in the previous sample circuit C₁. A terminal of a resistor R₅ is used as a third terminal I"'₃₆ of the input interface I₃₆. The other end of R₅ is connected to ground.

As shown in FIG. 2, the above automatic adjusting circuit C₈ of the color-temperature state B comprises the following. A terminal, which has been used as I'₃₆ and is from the same resistor R₄ in the above circuit C₆, is also used as a terminal I'₅₈ of the input interface I₅₈ of the B control signal. The other terminal of R₄ is connected to ground. A terminal of a resistor R₅ is used as the second terminal I"₈ of the input interface I₈. The other terminal of R₅ is used as the B automatic adjusting channel interface O₈₀ of the color-temperature state and is also connected with the third terminal I"'₀₁ of the input interface I₀₁ in the previous sample circuit C₁. The terminal, which has been used as I"'₃₆ and is from the same resistor R₅ in the above circuit C₆, is also used as the third terminal I"'₅₈ of the input interface I₅₈. The other terminal of R₅ is connected to ground.

A first terminal I'₀₁ (which is the interface O₆₀ and the first terminal I'₀₂ of the interface I₀₂), the second terminal I"₀₁ (which is the second terminal I₀₂ of the interface I₀₂), and the third terminal I"'₀₁ (which is the interface O₈₀ and the third terminal I"'₀₂ of the interface I₀₂ of above adjuster interface I₀₁) are separately connected with final-stage transistor emitters of the R, G, B matrix circuits of an adjusted receiver. A positive 12V power source and a ground terminal are separately and respectively connected with the +12V terminal of the decoding matrix circuits and the ground terminal of the adjusted receiver.

With the method and apparatus according to the invention, an instantaneous chrominance signal or a brightness signal is obtained from a proper position of TV equipment by means of the ident circuit of the corresponding relation between hue and color-temperature and the sampling circuit of the origin level for the color-temperature correction. Then the corresponding relation between hue and color-temperature is distinguished according to the above selected correspondence principle between the hue and color-temperature parameters. The correcting origin level which is required to set up dynamic correction for various primary colors R, G, B is obtained therefrom. Then the corresponding control signal emitted by means of a color-temperature control circuit according to the ident signal of the color-temperature range and the signal of the correcting origin level, which are delivered by the above circuit, is applied to the color-temperature automatic correcting circuit. The control signal will correct the equipment to the dynamic color-temperature state by means of the installed color-temperature channel and will always control the white balance color-temperature parameter in the stated dynamic range and submit to the state of the corresponding relation between the hue and color-temperature parameters. On condition that an approximate design is permitted, for example, in the plan concerning the selection of R, G, B primary colors in China now, the above calculation shows that the ratio between the G contents of D and D only differs by 0.2% so that they can be considered to be equal. The elements need to be saved, the subcircuits, and the signal distribution of the adjuster can be partly not used. For example, in some implementations, the G control and the adjusting circuit for the origin level inputs for the control circuit and the apparatus circuit etc. are left out. It is thus possible to share, mutually or partly, the elements and the signal channels so that two or several block circuits can be compounded or partly compounded as one.

When the apparatus is to be used, first it is switched into a color TV receiver with the above requirements. White signals are input into the receiver and the potentiometers W₁, W₂ are corrected to the state electrically directly connecting D₂ with D₄ and D₅ with D₆. At this moment, BG₁₁, BG₁₂, BG₂₁, and BG₂₂ are cut off and BG₃₁, BG₃₂, BG₄₁ and BG₄₂ are switched on. Then the white balance of the apparatus is corrected according to the reference white at a relative color temperature of 9300 K. The present joint currents of the final emitters in the matrix circuits R and B are separately supposed to be I_R, I_B. W₁, W₂ are again corrected so as to allow the color-temperature range ident voltage V₈ of the I₁₅ terminal to be about 0.1 V higher than that of the I₁₃ terminal. In this way, when the receiver receives a non-warm color image signal, that is V_R >V₈ and V_R ≦V_G, the matrix circuit maintains an above white balance dynamic color-temperature parameter at a 9300 K work state. Only when V_R -V_B =0.1-0V, is the work state at 7900 K-9300 K. When the receiver receives a warm color image signal, that is V_R >V_B and V_R >V_G, BG₁₁, BG₁₂, BG₂₁, and BG₂₂ are switched on and BG₃₁ BG₃₂, BG₄₁, and BG₄₂ are cut off so that the final emitter current, which is approximately equal to the collector current, in the R matrix circuit, increases by ΔI_R. The final emitter current in the B matrix circuit, which is approximately equal to the collector current, also increases by ΔI_B. The values of the increases ΔI_R and ΔI_B depend upon the selection of circuit parameters. When a group of parameters are selected so that ΔI_R /I_R =41.4%, ΔI_R /I_B =14.4%, the receiver will change from a 9300 K dynamic color-temperature state to a 6504 K dynamic color-temperature state. Only when V_R -V_B =0-0.1V, is it in the 6504 K-7900 K state. Afterwards, any chrominance signals are first sampled by D₁, D₃, W₂, D₂, W₁ separately. After G, B signals are compared by means of D₄, D₅, one which has the higher level among them is input to I₁₅ and is compared with the R signal at I₁₃. Then the one which has a higher level between them is switched on in a relative circuit so that a relative resistor is put into the matrix circuit to operate a stated correction--where the correcting origin level is determined by the regulated voltages D₁, D₂, and D₃.

An advantage of this invention is that given a condition which assures that the chrominance and luminance of image details are not distorted or are not mainly distorted, the optimum white balance color-temperature parameters corresponding to various hues are selected to give consideration to TV equipment which has good reproducing results for various images.

Another advantage of this invention is to provide an error structure having good suitability. In fact, it is not possible to avoid errors because the color TV is a kind of approximate image reproducing technique which is subordinated to characters of human vision resulting in subjective evaluation to a great extent with addition of the effects of various factors produced when signals transmit (for example, the bandwidth of a chrominance signal is limited to 1.3MHz in what is called large area color program for compatibility, such as the intrinsic large error for D₆₅, D₉₃ references). Eliminating inferior errors which can make image quality decrease apparently as much as possible and properly controlling non-inferior errors which do not make image quality decrease, is valuable. The errors structure characteristics of the automatic correcting method in this invention are as follows.

First, take the fidelity combining the distortionless chrominance parameter with the distortionless visual result as suitable to determine the applicable range in the Planckian locus band as a color-temperature dynamic range so that the fidelity is raised.

Secondly, take the subjective evaluating results as suitable to determine the allowable deviation direction in "warm hue-warm color temperature" and "cold hue-cold color temperature."

This kind of error structure prevents the TV set from being in the inferior range of the intrinsic reproducing image in an existing single fixation color-temperature reference program. Even if it still has proper errors, the results appear that the skin color appears slightly red, white color appears slightly blue, green mountains appear very green, and blue water appears very blue, and do not appear undesirable. The effects of errors are limited in the range which can be accepted by a subjective evaluation. That has a similar function with the tolerance basic shaft system and the correlation tolerance. For the intrinsic inferior errors of the input signal, this kind of error structure can produce offsetting or even correcting results, and is analogous to a kind of prestressing force.

In this invention, a G correction way is neglected in some of the embodiments. This kind of neglect does not mainly influence the fidelity of the primary color ratio because the difference of the G ratios between D₉₃ and D₆₅ is only 0.2%. When the apparatus makes a receiver correct the D₉₃ state to be the D₆₅ state (assuming present values of every primary color to be 1, that is R₉₃ =G₉₃ =B₉₃ =1 and brightness to be Y₉₃, and assuming present values of primary colors to be R₆₅, G₆₅, B₆₅ and brightness to be Y₆₅), according to the brightness formulas in chromatics theory:

Y.sub.93 =0.30×1+0.59×1+0.11=1

Y.sub.65 =0.30×1.414+0.59×1+0.11×0.856=1.1.

This makes the brightness value increase 10% (when hue changes, the brightness can not increase more because of the limiting action of R₂). But, just as what was shown in the Evaluating Report of the First Conference Comparing and Appraising the Quality of Color TV Sets in China, "under the condition of same brightnesses, the brightness impression of 9300 K white color temperature is more than that of 6500 K white color temperature." Therefore, increasing brightness by about 10% with the D₆₅ color temperature state has just as good a compensation for the visual brightness of a warm color image so as to reach a balance (because of the actions of D₁, D₂, and D₃, the black level reference as a correcting origin is assured of always remaining steady during dynamic correcting). While the black and white image is shown because V_R =V_B, the dynamic color temperature state returns to 9300 K and the brightness returns to the original state. If it is required to let the brightness value always remain constant, the only need is to add the G control correcting circuit (see FIG. 3) and to properly select the parameters so that the R increasing rate is 0.285, the G increasing rate is 0.091, and the B increasing rate is 0.222 when the dynamic color temperature state changes from D₉₃ to D₆₅.

The apparatus according to the invention is relatively independent and the number of components is not very great. Except for potentiometers, all components are able to be integrated into a small piece of an integrated circuit with 5 or 7 lead-out terminals. The integrated device is installed in a proper place in or at the tail plate of the TV picture tube. After it is corrected in simple fashion, it will be possible to accomplish the above functions. It is not only convenient for large scale production, but also it is possible to use it to improve a TV set without changing the original circuit. The apparatus can be made by discrete elements, or provided in the existing circuit. For TV productions possessing good consistency, the correcting potentiometers W₁ and W₂ can be neglected and it is not necessary to be corrected after the circuit is added and welded on.

What is mentioned above is proven by testing and measuring the circuit and watching a sample equipment test. Thus, it achieves the objective of this invention.

In the first embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 2, the circuit correcting mode and relative elements in the apparatus are the same as the circuit connecting mode and relative elements in the apparatus of FIG. 1, except that the circuit C₄, C₇ and the input interfaces I₂₆, I₂₈ of the adjusting origin levels R, B can be neglected, and thus are not present in FIG. 2.

Ranges for selecting the elements of the apparatus are R₁, R₆,R₇ : 10-20K Ω; R₂,R₃ : 500-3.9K Ω R₄ : 2.7-6.8KΩ; R₅ : 4.7-12K Ω; and W₁, W₂ : 1-2.7K Ω. Reversal restoring times of D4 and D5 are less than 5ns. Low current regulated voltage values of D₁, D₂, and D₃ are selected with reference to the average black levels, assuring that the primary color correcting rates for bright or dark images are the same. Transistor junction capacity is small. BG₁₁ -GB₄₄ are low power transistors for which h_FE >50, f_T >100MH. It is best to choose differential symmetry transistors for these low power transistors.

The operating process of the apparatus has been stated above. It has a simple structure and good characteristics, and is suitable to be used by a receiver.

Referring to the second embodiment of FIG. 3, the apparatus shown is for the condition when circuits C₄ and C₇ are not allowed to be neglected. The first embodiment is a simplified case of the second embodiment. There is a more accurate color-temperature correcting origin level in the sample circuit used in the second embodiment, which takes the place of the circuit in the first embodiment. The circuit is composed of NPN transistor BG₆₁, resistors R₁₇, R₁₈, R₁₉, diode D₁₁, capacitor C₁, and a clamper circuit used to track the random black level. It has added thereto the G control circuit C₄, which is composed of transistors BG₅₉, BG₆₀, and the G correcting circuit, which is composed of resistors R₁₅, R₁₆. They are connected with each other as shown in FIG. 3. This circuit separately corrects R, G, B increasing rates to 0.285, -0.091, -0.222 in the D₉₃ →D₆₅ state. Therefore, it will assume that the brightness remains constant when the D₉₃ state is automatically corrected to the D₆₅ state, as mentioned above.

The third embodiment of FIG. 4 is another circuit mode, on the condition that the C₄, C₇ circuits are neglected. Its sample circuit C₁ is composed of diodes D₁₂, D₁₃, resistors R₂₆, R₃₀ and a potentiometer W₅. Its sample circuit C₂ is composed of a transistor BG₆₇, a diode D₁₄, a capacitor C₂ and resistors R₃₁, R₃₂, R₃₃, R₃₄. R and B control circuits C₃ and C₅ are separately composed of transistors BG₆₂, G₆₃, Bg₆₄, resistors R₂₁, R₂₂, R₂₇ and a transistor BG₆₄, and resistors R₂₁, R₂₂, and R₂₉. The two circuits share BG₆₂, R₂₁, R₂₂, and R₃. R and B correcting circuits C₆ and C₈ are composed of transistors BG₆₅, BG₆₆, resistors R₂₄, R₂₅, and R₂₆, which are also shared by the two circuits. The internal connection is shown in FIG. 4. It is connected with the receiver matrix circuit by means of the same methods as the first embodiment.

In a fourth embodiment of the apparatus for automatically adjusting dynamic color-temperature of color TV equipment, a division device is installed in the sample circuit C of the ident signal of the corresponding relation between hue and color-temperature, and the corresponding relation between instantaneous hue and color-temperature is distinguished according to the corresponding principle of the above selected hue--color temperature. When a receiver receives warm images, V_R /V_G >1 and V_R /V_B >1. Both values represent an objective hue characteristic under the circumstances. Otherwise, it may be considered that the receiver receives other hue chrominance signals. Its feature is to use the first color-temperature region ident signal to control the next field hue.

Although various minor changes and modifications might be proposed by those skilled in the art, it will be understood that I wish to include within the claims of the patent warranted hereon all such changes and modifications as reasonably come within my contribution to the art.

Claims

We claim as our invention:

1. A method for automatically adjusting dynamic color temperature state of color TV equipment, said color TV equipment having a chrominance channel circuit which has chrominance signals input thereto, comprising the steps of:

a) selecting an applicable range along a planckian locus color temperature band as a dynamic color temperature reference standard of a white balance color temperature parameter in accordance with color temperature of a chrominance signal input to said chrominance channel circuit;

b) sampling the chrominance signal input to said chrominance channel circuit and adjusting said color temperature state based on instantaneous hue characteristics of each pixel in every scanning line of a frame of an image corresponding to said chrominance signal in accordance with said selected dynamic color temperature reference standard and such that said white balance color temperature parameter is adjusted from a point K₀ on a CIE chrominance chart, corresponding to normalized RGB color space primary color quantities R₀, G₀, B₀ and brightness Y₀, to a point K₁ on the CIE chrominance chart, corresponding to normalized RGB color space primary color quantities R₁, G₁, B₁ and brightness Y₁, wherein K₁ is less than K₀, and wherein

1) a deviation of points (S₀, Y₀), (X₁, Y₁) on said CIE chrominance chart corresponding to the RGB color space points (R₀, G₀, B₀), (R₁, G₁, B₁) from corresponding Planckian locus points D₀ ', K₁ ' is less than or equal to 27 MPCD, and

2) an increase or decrease of brightness of any part of said frame after adjustment does not exceed 15% as compared with that before adjustment.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein, for a relatively precise design, a low color temperature range between 2000 K-9300 K along said Planckian locus band is adopted as said dynamic color temperature reference standard of the white balance color temperature parameter when said chrominance channel circuit is input with a warm color chrominance signal wherein a signal level R in a primary color structure of the chrominance signal is greater than both signal levels B and G, said low color temperature range being known as a bottom section color temperature standard D_L.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein, for an approximate design, at least one point in said low color temperature range between 2000 K-9300 K along said Planckian locus band is adopted as said dynamic color temperature reference standard of the white balance color temperature parameter when said chrominance channel circuit is input with a warm color chrominance signal wherein a signal level R in a primary color structure of the chrominance signal is greater than both signal levels B and G, said at least one point being known as a bottom section color temperature standard D_L.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein, for a relatively precise design, when said chrominance channel circuit is input with a non-warm color chrominance signal, a region between an upper limit of a bottom-section color temperature standard D_L and 28000 K is adopted as said dynamic color temperature standard, said region being known as a top-section color-temperature reference standard D_H.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein, for an approximate design, at least one point in a region between an upper limit of a bottom-section color temperature standard D_L and 28000 K is adopted as said dynamic color temperature reference standard, said at least one point being known as a top-section color temperature reference standard D_H.

6. A system for automatically adjusting dynamic color temperature state of color TV equipment, said color TV equipment having a chrominance channel circuit which has chrominance signals input thereto, comprising:

means for selecting an applicable range along a Planckian locus color temperature band as a dynamic color temperature reference standard of a white balance color temperature parameter in accordance with color temperature of a chrominance signal input to said chrominance channel circuit;

means for sampling the chrominance signal input to said chrominance channel circuit and adjusting said color temperature state based on instantaneous hue characteristics of each pixel in every scanning line of a frame of an image corresponding to said chrominance signal in accordance with the dynamic color temperature reference standard selected by said selecting means and such that said white balance color temperature parameter is adjusted from a point K₀ on a CIE chrominance chart, corresponding to normalized RGB color space primary color quantities R₀, G₀ B₀ and brightness Y₀, to a point K₁ on the CIE chrominance chart, corresponding to normalized RGB color space primary color quantities R₁, G₁, B₁ and brightness Y₁, wherein K₁ is less than K₀, and wherein

1) a deviation of points (X₀, Y₀), (X₁, Y₁) on said CIE chrominance chart corresponding to the RGB color space points (R₀, G₀, B₀, (R₁, G₁, B₁) from corresponding Planckian locus points K₀ ', K₁ is less than or equal to 27 MPCD, and

7. An apparatus for automatically adjusting dynamic color temperature state for use in color TV equipment, said color TV equipment having a color chrominance channel circuit which has chrominance signals input thereto, comprising:

first means for sampling an ident signal relation between hue and color temperature, and having an input connected to receive a color chrominance signal input to said color chrominance channel circuit, and R, G, and B signal outputs;

second means for sampling of color temperature adjusting origin level, and having an input for receiving said color chrominance signal input to said color chrominance channel circuit, and three outputs for respectively outputting adjusting origin level RGB signals;

first means for controlling said R signal so as to control a color temperature state and having two inputs respectively connected to receive said R signal output from said first sampling means and said adjusting origin level R signal from said second sampling means, and an output for outputting an R control signal;

second means for controlling said G signal so as to control said color temperature state and having two inputs respectively connected to receive said G signal output from said first sampling means and said adjusting origin level G signal from said second sampling means, and an output for outputting a G control signal;

third means for controlling said B signal so as to control said color temperature state and having two inputs respectively connected to receive said B signal output from said first sampling means and said adjusting origin level B signal from said second sampling means, and an output for outputting a B control signal;

first means for automatically adjusting said R signal so as to adjust color temperature state and having an input connected to said output of said first controlling means to receive said R color signal and another input for receiving said adjusting origin level R signal from said second sampling means and having an output for providing an R adjustment signal to said chrominance channel circuit;

second means for automatically adjusting said G signal so as to adjust color temperature state and having an input connected to said output of said second controlling means to receive said G color signal and another input for receiving said adjusting origin level G signal from said second sampling means and having an output for providing a G adjustment signal to said chrominance channel circuit; and

third means for automatically adjusting said B signal so as to adjust color temperature state and having an input connected to said output of said third controlling means to receive said B color signal and another input for receiving said adjusting origin level B signal from said second sampling means and having an output for providing a B adjustment signal to said chrominance channel circuit.